People's Democracy

    MARUTI SUZUKI

     THROUGH a statement issued from New Delhi on August 17, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has condemned the action of the Maruti Suzuki management to summarily dismiss 500 regular workers. It has also denounced the government of Haryana for its tacit support to such a blatantly unlawful action of the management.

    While denouncing the violent happening in the Marutu Suzuki plant on July 18 evening in which the general manager of the factory was killed and many were injured, the CITU has demanded a comprehensive independent enquiry into the entire incident, including the antecedents, to punish the guilty as well as the provocateurs behind the violence.

    But, instead, the state government has launched a witch hunt targeting the workers and is resorting to mass scale arrest of workers. More than 154 workers were put behind the bar, including some who were not even present on that fateful day. Also, 55 workers were named in the FIR lodged by the company and all of them are behind the bar, awaiting trial.

     In such a context, the summary dismissal of 500 regular workers is tantamount to inflicting capital punishment on them in respect of their livelihood before the guilt is proved. Moreover, termination of such a big number of workers in a factory like Maruti Suzuki statutorily requires obtaining prior permission from the government The CITU has asked the government of Haryana to clarify whether the Maruti Suzuki management sought prior permission for such mass scale termination of workers and whether the state government had them granted such permission and, if granted, on what ground.

    The CITU has also demanded that the government of Haryana must intervene and ensure that the Maruti Suzuki management is made to refrain from such mass scale dismissal of workers. It has also asked the central government to act strongly in upholding the central statute which the unlawful mass dismissal by the Marurti Suzuki management violates in connivance with the state administration.

    The CITU has urged upon the working class movement to condemn such vindictive and retaliatory action by the MNC-state government nexus and extend solidarity to the Maruti Suzuki workers.